Gore Verbinski to direct and produce Pyongyang

I'm not the comic book guy around these parts so my knowledge of the graphic novel Pyongyang is limited to cursory information, but it sounds like one of the most interesting graphic novels one could read. That's probably why Gore Verbinski has decided to produce and direct a film adaptation of it and why New Regency has acquired the rights to said adaptation.

The graphic novel tells the story of its author, Guy Delisle, as he spends two months in North Korea attempting to be a liaison for a French Animation studio. The press release calls the film a "humorous nightmare" which is a description that could only pique one's interest as it hints at some truly dark comedy.

This must be a passion project for Verbinski as it's pretty out of line with his usual big budget fair (his next film is Disney's The Lone Ranger), but the man has done some weird comedies before including the disturbingly dark children's movie Mousehunt and the equally strange (as most things starring Nicholas Cage are) The Weather Man.